1. Let’s Learn About… Trees!
This presentation is designed to prepare students for the Eden Hill Conservancy nature workshop on trees. After completing this lesson, students should be able to:
Identify the parts of a tree
Identify, spell, and name the 2 families of trees
Determine the age of a tree
Explain how trees are planted by people and nature
Explain why trees are useful
Suggest ways to conserve trees
This lesson should be followed by those describing conifers and deciduous trees.
Trees!

2. What is a Tree? A tree is a tall, green plant
A tree belongs to one of two families
Conifer family
Deciduous family
A tree is a tall, green plant.
How tall can trees grow? White pine trees, the tallest trees in Pennsylvania, can grow to 100 to 200 feet. To reach the top of a tall pine tree, 60 first graders would need to stand one on top of the other.
A tree belongs to one of two families, the conifer, or evergreen family, and the deciduous family. We will learn a bit more about these families in a few minutes. First, let’s spell these words together:
c-o-n-i-f-e-r, and d-e-c-i-d-u-o-u-s.

3. How Many Kinds of Trees Do We Have in Pennsylvania?
This slide builds. In slide show mode, press the forward arrow or enter key and the answer to the question will appear.
How many kinds of trees do we have in Pennsylvania?
Almost 200! (134 kinds have always been in Pennsylvania (native) and 62 were brought into Pennsylvania by people (introduced).
Most (85 – 90%) of the trees in Pennsylvania are deciduous trees.
The eastern hemlock, a conifer, is the state tree of Pennsylvania.
Almost 200!

4. Do You Remember the Two Tree Families?
Conifer
Deciduous
This slide builds. In slide show mode, press the forward arrow or enter key and the conifer picture and name will appear. Press forward arrow or enter key again and deciduous tree picture and name will appear.
Do you remember the names of the two tree families?
Conifer and deciduous (also called a broadleaf or hardwood tree).

5. What Is a Conifer Tree? A conifer tree… Has cones Has needles
Needles stay green year round until they die
Has soft wood
Has seeds inside the cones
What is a conifer tree?
A conifer tree has cones.
A conifer tree has needles for leaves. The needles stay green year round and fall off only when they die.
A conifer tree has soft wood.
A conifer tree stores its seeds inside its cones.
A conifer tree is also called an evergreen tree, because the tree stays green all year round.
White Pine Tree

6. What Is a Deciduous Tree?
Has flat leaves
Leaves are green in summer
Leaves turn colors in the fall
Leaves fall to the ground each year
Has hard wood
Has flowers
Makes fruit or nuts
What is a deciduous tree?
A deciduous tree has flat leaves instead of needles. The leaves are green in the summer and turn colors in the fall. It is also called a broadleaf or hardwood tree.
What colors do leaves turn in the fall? (Red, orange, yellow, brown)
What happens to the leaves in the fall once they have finished turning colors? (Many fall to ground.)
A deciduous tree has hard wood. Remember that the conifer tree has soft wood.
A deciduous tree has flowers and makes fruit or nuts.
Black Cherry Tree

7. Can You Name the Parts of a Tree?
Leaves
Crown
Twig
Branch
Bark
Trunk
Roots
This slide builds. In slide show mode, press the forward arrow or enter key and each term will appear. You can discuss the definition, then move to the next part.
Roots. A root is the part of a tree that usually grows under the ground. A tree uses its roots to get water and food from the soil. The roots also help the tree stand strong.
Trunk. The trunk is the thick, hard, center part of a tree. Branches grow out of the trunk and roots grow underground.
Bark. Bark is the outside layer, or skin, of a tree. Bark can be rough or smooth.
Branch. A branch is a part of the tree that grows from the trunk.
Twig. A twig is a small, thin branch of the tree.
Leaf (plural, leaves). A leaf is a thin, flat, green part of a tree that grows from a branch. A leaf may be wide, like an apple tree leaf, or narrow, like a pine needle. A needle is a kind of leaf.
Crown. The crown is the leafy top that spreads across the tree.

8. How Old Is this Tree? 6 Years Old!
This slide builds. In slide show mode, press the forward arrow or enter key and the age of the tree will appear.
How old is this tree? This tree is 6 years old!
How do scientists and foresters find the age of a tree? They look at a slice of the trunk, also called a tree “cookie,” and count the dark rings!
A tree trunk gets fatter every season as the tree grows. The light-colored rings are wood that is added to the tree in the summer and the dark colored rings are added to the tree in the fall.
Count the dark rings to tell how old the tree is!

9. Why Are Trees Useful? Trees provide us with wood
Trees provide shelter and shade
For people
For animals
Trees provide food
Trees make oxygen to help us breathe
Trees are a fun place to play
This slide builds. In slide show mode, press the forward arrow or enter key and each answer will appear. You can discuss the answer, then move to the next one.
Why are trees useful?
Trees provide us with wood
Trees provide shelter and shade for people and for animals
Trees provide food for people and for animals
Trees make oxygen to help us breathe
Trees are a fun place to play

10. What Are Some of the Things We Can Make from Trees?
Christmas
Tree
Food
Furniture
Heat
This slide builds. In slide show mode, press the forward arrow or enter key and all of the answers will appear at once. You can have students give their answers and then show these possible answers.
What are some of the things we can make from trees?
Christmas trees
Food
Furniture
Heat (Energy)
House
Maple syrup
Paper and pencils
Toys
House
Maple Syrup
Paper and
Pencils
Toys

11. How Can We Make More Trees?
Plant A Seed
Watch Tree Grow!
Give Tree Soil, Water, Sunlight, and Air
How can we make more trees?
Plant a seed or a small tree (also called a “seedling”).
Plant the seed or small tree in the dirt so its roots can grow underground. With its roots under the ground, the seed or small tree can get water and food. The seed will split its shell in two and push the shell away as the seed grows.
Be sure the tree gets water, sunlight, and air, so it can grow strong.
Or Plant a Small Tree

12. Who Plants Seeds and Trees?
People
This slide builds. In slide show mode, press the forward arrow or enter key and all of the answers will appear at once. You can have students give their answers and then show these possible answers.
Who plants seeds and trees?
People
Animals (birds, squirrels, and other animals)
Wind
Trees themselves when they let seeds fall to the ground nearby
Animals
Wind
Trees

13. How Can We Help Our Trees?
We can recycle paper.
We can bring reusable bags to the grocery store so we don’t need to bring home paper bags.
We can use less paper.
We can plant more trees.
Do you have other ideas for how we can help trees?
Recycle!
Take Bags to the
Grocery Store!
Use Less Paper!
Plant More Trees!

14. How Can You Learn More About Trees?
Make a nature notebook
Write down the kinds of trees you see in the woods
Draw pictures of twigs and leaves
Collect leaf, fruit, and seed specimens
Make a bark rubbing
Place a piece of paper against a tree and rub with a crayon
How can you learn more about trees? Here are some ideas for things you can do at home.
Make a nature notebook. Write down the kinds of trees you see in the woods. Draw pictures of the twigs and leaves you find.
Collect leaf, fruit, and seed specimens. Study how they are alike or different. We will collect some specimens, or examples, on our field trip coming up in May.
Make rubbings of the bark of different trees you find in the woods. Place a piece of paper against a tree and rub with a crayon. Collect many examples and study how they are alike or different.